Apparatus and process for circulating liquids.



C. W. MCCOY.

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CIRCULATING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILEDJAN-26,1915.

11,21 9,57% Patented Mar. 20,1917.

QXMWM w W W/yZ W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WESLEY MCCOY, 0F SPRAGUE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 REFRIGERATOR CAR EQUIPMENT CO., OF SEATTLE, WASH-IN GTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CIRCULATING LIQUIDS.

Application filed January 26, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WESLEY MCCOY, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and resident of Sprague, in the State of lVashington, in theUnited States of America, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus and Processes for Circulating Liquids; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

This invention relates to an improved a paratus and process forcirculating liqui s, and is particularly adapted for refrigeratinapparatus to be used to preserve perishable freights in transportationfrom one place to another, and to equalize the temperature throughoutthe apartment containing the perishable freight, and to economizeconsumption of cooling substance.

This invention has among other objects to produce an automaticcirculation of the liquid responsive to the movement of the apparatus,this movement causing a variation in the level of the liquid indifferent parts of the apparatus, there being means for preventing thelevel of the liquid from being reestablishedexcept by such liquidpassing through the apparatus in a predetermined direction, therebyinsuring an automatic circulation responsive to this movement.

In the refrigerating apparatus now used on cars, tanks are placed at theends of the ears, said tanks containing ice and salt. When the ice meltsunder these conditions a temperature is produced at the ends of the car,which is entirely too low, being under certain conditions in theneighborhood of zero Fahrenheit. This low temperature either destroys orinjures the foodstuff near the tanks and there must be provided someprotective means against this injury, such as an interposed gate orbarrier of some kind, in which event a portion of the cooling effect islost. With these systems the temperature near the middle of the car isnot low enough, and hence the foodstuff near the middle of the car isnot cooled sufiiciently and is liable to be injured because of thehigher temperature. This higher temperature is also increased due to thefact that the door is at the center of the car, so

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Serial N 0. 4,549.

that warm air enters the car at the center whenever the door is opened.

One of the objects of this invention is to equalize the temperaturesthroughout the car by automatically circulating this brine in responseto the movement of the car as it travels, and bringing it to the middleof the car at the top thereof and then returning it to the tanks at theends, thereby raising the temperature at the ends of the car so as toprevent injury to the foodstuff due to the excessive cold, and loweringthe temperature at the middle of the car to prevent injury to thefoodstuff due to the fact that this portion of the car is too Warm,thereby utilizing effectively a larger proportion of the cooling effect,and consequently economizing in the consumption of ice and increasingthe efficiency of the cooling apparatus. This system also permits thecars to be made of greater length, and still have the temperatureproperly equalized, there-- by producing a further possibility ofincrease of efficiency and reduction of cost in the transportation ofperishable foodstufl's.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein it isshown as applied to a refrigerator apparatus on a railway car.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the car, showing oneform of the apparatus in position;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the system of circulation;

Fig. 3 is a view showing one form of check valve which may be used;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the check valve illustratedin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the pipes with thedrip-pan attached;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a modified construction;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view through the drip-pan and a portion ofthe pipe to which it is connected.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring now to the particular construction illustrated, I have shown aseries of tanks 1, 2, 3 and 4 connected together by pipes. In theconstruction shown in Fig. l the tanks 1 and 2 are located at one end ofthe refrigerating car or chamber, and tanks 3 and a at the other endthereof, said tanks being preferably provided at the bottom with heatinsulating material 5 and the corrugated walls 6. The tanks areseparated from the Wall of the car by spaces 7 at each end, so thatthere is ample room for the free movement of air. Tanks 1 and 2 areconnected by the pipe 8, and the tanks 3 and 4 are connected by the pipe9. A check valve 10 is arranged to control. the communication betweentanks 1 and 2, said check valve automatically opening to permit liquidto pass from tank 2 to tank 1, and automatically closing to prevent theliquid from returning from tank 1 to tank Check valve 11 permits theflow of the liquid from tank 3 to tank 4, but prevents the return of theliquid from tank l to tank 3. Tanks 1 and 3 are connected together bysuitable piping. As herein shown, this connection is made by the pipes12 and 16 and the intermediate larger pipe or reservoir 13. The tanks 2and at are connected together by the pipes 19 and 23 and theintermediate larger pipe or reservoir 21. The enlarged portions 13 and21 are arranged near the middle of the car or chamber and are enlargedso as to give a greater surface area at this point so as to secure agreater cooling effect. The connection between tanks 1 and 3 is providedwith check valves 1* 15, 17 and 18, arranged to permit liquid to flowfrom tank 1 to tank 3, but prevent its flowing from tank 3 to tank 1while the connection between tanks 4 and 2 is provided with check valves20, 22, 24 and 25 arranged to permit the flow of the liquid from tank 4:to tank 2 but prevent its flow from tank 2 to tank 4:.

When the apparatus is used in a car or boat, or the like, it will beseen that the rocking of the car or boat from side to side, the startingand stopping of the car or boat, the passing up or down grade, of thecar, or the tilting of the boat, all tend to produce a variation inlevel in different parts of the system. This variation in level producesa variation in pressure, and when the car or boat again reaches a levelposition this variation in pressure causes the liquid to circulate in apre-determined direction to reestablish the level, thus producing anautomatic circulation. This will be seen, for example, by examining Fig.2. If the car or boat containing the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, whichcontains the liquid to be circulated, should, for example, rock to oneside so as to lower tanks land 3 and raise tanks 2 and 4, it will beseen that the level of the liquid indifferent parts of the apparatusWill be varied, that is, the level in tanks 2 and 4 will be at a higherlevel than in tanks 1 and 3. The pressure of this liquid will,therefore, tend to establish a proper level, and since the liquid cannotflow through check valve 11, as said check valve would be closed, thisliquid, due to the variations in pressure on account of variation inlevel of the liquid, will flow through check valve 10 into tank 1, andthrough check valves 14, 15, 17 and 18 into tank 3, and as the liquid intank 2 is lowered from tank 4 into tank 2, until the proper level isestablished. If, now, the car or boat rocks back to its level positionor rocks on the other side, it will be seen that the difference in levelof the liquid is again changed, the liquid in tanks 1 and 3 being higherthan that in tanks 4 and 2, thereby producing a variation in pressure.The check valve 10 now closes, and since the liquid is lower in tanks 4and 2 than in tanks 1 and 3, it will be seen that the variation inpressure thus produced will cause the liquid .to pass from tank 1 totank 3, and from tank 3 to tank 4, and from tank 4 to tank 2, the checkvalves being arranged so that the liquid is free to flow in thisdirection. Again it will be noted that if the end of the car or boatcontaining the tanks 3 and 4: should be raised, the level of the liquidin tanks 3 and 4: and in tanks 1 and 2 will be different and the liquidwill pass from tank 4 to tank 2 and from tank 2 to tank 1, the liquidalso passing from tank 3 to tank 4 as the level in said tank lowers. If,now, the car or boat is again brought to a level position, or the otherend raised, it will be seen that'the level of the liquid in tanks 2 and1 will be higher than the level of the liquid in tanks 3 and 4, and theliquid will pass from tank 1 to tank 3 and from tank 3 to tank 4, theliquid also passing from tank 2 to tank 1 as the level in tank 1 lowers.

It will thus be seen that by means of this apparatus the liquid in theapparatus is automatically circulated responsive to movements of the caror boat or other device, which ordinarily are of no value and produce noeffective or beneficial result. In other words, it will be seen that bymeans of this process and apparatus the lost motion or waste movement ofthe car, boat or other device, is converted into a useful movement toproduce useful work and useful results. Any movement, therefore, of thecar or boat, which causes the liquid to move from one tank to another,thereby changing the level of the liquid in different portions of thesystem, can thus be utilized to assist in securing the circulation ofthe liquid. The distribution of the liquid is such that even when thecar is stationary a much more uniform cooling effect is secured.

The pipes are preferably shielded at the under side by a drip-trough 26,which empties through pipe 27 into the drain pipe 28. The drip troughcontains between its inwardly curved sides the perforated raised bottom29, which acts to prevent the splashing of the material in thedrip-trough on the articles in the refrigerating receptacle. Thisdrip-trough also collects the bacteria which have accumulated on thefrosted piping, and carries them away instead of allowing them to bedeposited on the foodstufl in the car.

In Fig. 6 a modified construction is shown for permitting the pipes tobe brought nearer the roof of the car. In this construction the pipeswhich extend along the roof of the car are connected with the tanks atthe end of the car by inclined pipes, thus permitting the pipes to bebrought nearer the roof. In the construction shown, the liquid, forexample, will pass from the tank 31 through the inclined pipe 32 to thechamber 33, and thence through pipe 34 to the larger pipe 35, thebackward flow being prevented by the check valves 36. Each tank wouldhave an inclined portion 32 adjacent to it. Many different arrangementsof piping and tanks may be made, and sundry changes in construction,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The liquid used in this system is preferably a salty'solution, iced,usually common 'salt and ice placed in the tanks, which melts and formsa brine, and this slushes about in the pipes, constantly changing andreturning to the ice-tank. Even after the ice is all melted the brinestill continues to be an excellent cooling substance for a considerableperiod of time, and the best results are obtained by distributing itthroughout the system.

This invention has been described as pertaining to refrigerator cars forrailway use, but it must be understood that it may be applied on anyform of vehicle, evena ship or steamboat, so long as the salient featureremains, that is, the circulation of the liquid by the agitation andchange of level caused by the movement of the vehicle.

Further, it-may be said that this invention may be applied as means forcooling all kinds of passenger vehicles in hot weather.

It will be noted that in this construction I have shown four tanks orreceptacles 1, 2, 3 and 4, as this number secures the best results,because it gives a movement of circulation every time the car moves toeither side or goes up or down grade or stops and starts suddenly. If,for example, the side of the car containing tanks 1 and 3 moves down,the liquid is moved from tank 2 to tank 1 so as to provide an excess ofliquid therein, and then when it again returns to the level position oron the other side of the level position, the excess liquid passesthrough the circulatory connection between tank 1 and tank 2, back totank 2. If the car moves toward the other side the excess liquid passesinto tank 4 and the circulation is then from this tank back throughtanks 2 and 1 to tank 3. If the end .of the car containing tanks 1 and 2is lowered, the excess liquid passes from tank 4 into tanks 2 and 1, andis then returned to tank 4, while if the end of the car containing tanks4 and 3 is lowered, the excess liquid passes from tanks 2 and 1 intotanks 3 and 4 and then again back into tanks 2 and 1. In other words, bymeans of the four tanks it will be seen that the degree of circulationis very greatly increased, and that the circulatory movements occurunder a great variety of diiferent movements of the car.

It will be noted that whatever the form of the apparatus there isproduced a process of circulating liquid in a complete clrculatorysystem mounted upon a vehicle which consists in utilizing the movementof the vehicle to produce a variation in pressure of the liquid in thedifi'erent parts of the system and utilizing the difl'erence in pressureto antomatically produce a circulation of the liquid throughout saidsystem in a pre-determined direction, the liquid traveling from a givenpoint through the system and back to said point.

I claim:

1. The process of circulating liquid in a complete circulatory systemmounted upon a vehicle which consists in utilizing the movement of thevehicle to produce a variation in pressure of the liquid in thedifferent parts of the system and utilizing the difi'erence in pressureto automatically produce a circulation of the liquid throughout saidsystem in a pre-determined direction, whereby the 2 liquid travels froma given point through the system and back to sald point.

2. The process of circulating liquid in a circulatory system mountedupon a vehicle, which consists in utilizing the movement of the vehicleto produce a movement of a portion of the liquid from one part of thesystem to another part of the system and preventing backward movement ofsaid moved liquid, and utilizing the lowered pressure in that part ofthe system from which the moved liquid came and the increased pressurein that part of the system into which the moved liquid is received, toproduce a forward movement of the liquid in the system to equalize thepressures.

3. An apparatus for circulating liquid,"

comprising two tanks, connectionstbetween said tanks, said connectionsand tanks forming a complete circulatory system containing the liquid tobe circulated, means for producing a variation in pressure of the liquidindifferent parts of said system responsive to the movement of saidtanks, and means for causing the liquid to circulate through said systemin a pre-determined direction responsive to said variation in pressure.

4. An apparatus for circulating liquid, comprising two tanks, means formoving said tanks, a connection between said tanks by which liquidpasses from one tank to the 136 other tank when the tanks are moved,means for preventing the return of said liquid through said connection,and a second connection between said tanks through which 'said liquid isreturned to the first mentioned tank, whereby a circulation of saidliquid in said system is secured.

5.'An apparatus for circulating liquids, comprising four receptacleslocated in pairs, one pair near each end of the compartment to becooled, a connection between each pair of tanks, the two tanks at oneend being connected with the two tanks at the other end so as to form acomplete circulatory system containing the liquid to be circulated,means for moving said tanks so as to vary the relative height of theliquid therein, and means for causing said liquid to flow forward in thesame direction when the tanks are given an opposite movement, toequalize the pressure due to said differences in level regard-- less ofthe tank in which the difference in level occurs.

6. An apparatus for circulating liquids,

comprising four receptacles located in pairs, one pair near each end ofthe compartment to be cooled, a connection between each pair of tanks,the two tanks at one end being con nected with the two tanks at theother end so as to form a complete circulatory system containing theliquid to be circulated, means for moving said tanks so as to vary therelative height of the liquid therein, and means for causing said liquidto flow forward in the same direction when the tanks are given anopposite movement, to equalize the pressures due to said differences inlevel regardless of the tank in which the difference in level occurs,the connection between the two sets of tanks being enlarged near themiddle of said compartment.

Signed at Montreal, Quebec, Canada, this sixth day of January, 1915.

CHARLES WESLEY MCCOY.

Witnesses:

A. BOSCERS, M. MoCoLLUM.

